Rail brace or clamp.



C. F. MITCHELL.

RAIL BRACE 0R CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED nfc.2s, 1915.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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NOGRAPH C0 WASHINGTON D C C. F. MITCHELL. RAIL BRACE 0R CLAMP.

1,189,157. Patented June 27, 1916.

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CHARLES F. MITCHELL, OF SOMERSET, KENTUCKY.

RAIL BRACE OR CLAMP.

Application filed December 28, 1915.

To alli/1.7mm t 'may concer/n Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MITCHELL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Somerset, in the county of Pulaski and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail Braces or Clamps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

rihis invention relates to an attachment for rails, and while susceptible of a variety of uses, is more especially adapted for connecting adjacent or abutting ends of rail sections whereby to prevent relative lateral movement of the rail sections, and overcoming to a large extent, the relative creeping tendency of said rail sections.

Many efforts have heretofore been made to provide an attachment or joint of the character just mentioned, which would answer the necessary requirements, but a large majority of these, with which I am familiar, have not proven entirely satisfactory or practicable, for various reasons, among which may be mentioned the complicated character thereof, the expense incident to manufacture, application and upkeep, the inefficient bracing and holding characteristics, the

necessity of drilling or otherwise weakeningv the rail sections due to the application of the device, the loosening of the joint and resultant spreading of the rail sections in use, the large number of bolts required, and separation and loss of the latter, etc.

It is one of the primary objects of the present invention, to overcome the above and other existing objections or defects in rail joints and allied devices as at present constructed, and to this end, I provide a novel and improved type of construction, involving but a few parts, comparatively simple and inexpensive to produce, readily applicable to and detachable from the rail sections, and highly efficient, satisfactory and durable in use.

' Another important feature of the invention, resides in the provision of coperating rail engaging members to engage at opposite sides of the rail sections, and novel means for securing said members in holding contact with the rail sections, without the necessity of providing holes in, or otherwise damaging, the rail sections, as would be the result of direct application thereto ofthe retaining means for the engaging members.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

serial No. 69,059.

The present invention is of peculiar and especial advantage and usefulness for-.emergency repair purposes when split rails are encountered, since the device is readily applicable to rails of standard construction without preliminary drilling or altering the construction of rail sections in any particular, and when so applied, the severed secytions of the rail are firmly supported, braced and maintained against lateral separation.

Still another feature of the invention, resides in the provision of means whereby the cooperating members of the brace or joint constitute a reinforced or supporting medium for one another, thereby' taking considerable strain from the rail sections themselves, and in carrying out this feature of the invention, the coperating joint members preferably are arranged to contact at the base, whereby to constitute a fulcrum at this point in the action of the interposed securing means in drawing the clamping portions of the joint members in binding contact with the rail sections.

Other improvements, and novel details in the construction and arrangement of parts will be appreciated from the description to follow, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose of illustration, a convenient and satisfactory embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of adjacent rail sections with my 1mprovements applied. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross section substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 4 is a cross section vsubstantiallyon the line 4--4 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

With more particular reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, A and B represent respectively rail sections adapted to be connected, and C rail ties of usual construction projecting beneath opposite rails and supporting the latter. The rail sections A may be of any approved type or standard construction comprising a head or tread part l, a base 2, and vertical connecting web 3. The upper surface of the base 2, is tapered downwardly in opposite directions from the web part 3 as indicated at2a, and the undersurface of the llt) tread portion has the usual taper or incline upwardly and outwardly from the web as indicated at la.

The means-herein contemplated for connecting adjacent rail sections together' is preferably of the following construction, it being observed in this connection however tha minor changes in details and construction of parts may be resorted. to and still be within the spirit of the invention. The connecting' means or joint for the rail sections includes cooperating members and as these members are subs anti-ally duplicates of one another, a description of one will suflice for the other. 4t is an elongated base part preferably of a length to underlie a considerable portion of adjacent rail sections, and of a width to terminate short of the center of the base of the rail, whereby when the cooperating members are in place the respective base members -l will be slightly spaced from one another at the adjacent edges as indicated at er. Connecting with the base part 4C at the outer edge thereof and ata point beyond the side edge of the base 2 of the rail, is a vertical extension 5 overlying the edge of the base 2 and connecting with an upwardly and inwardly directed flange 6 overlying the inclined portion 2 of the base of the rail section and in turn connecting with a vertically extending clamping part 7 of a height to substantially lill the space between the uncersurface lL of the tread portion l and the upper surface 2a of the base portion Q, of the rail section. It will be observed from a reference to Fig. t, which illustrates more particularly the application of the cooperating ioint members previous to being moved to clamping position, that the clamping portion 7 tapers inwardly toward the upper end thereof and contacts with the rail section only at the points 7 a and 71U there of, which said contact points of the clamping members are rounded, as is also the inner lower edge 7C of the clamping portion 7. Except at the points 7 1 and 7 b and the upper surface of the base part 4, the clamping members in the application. of the same are spaced from the rail sections for a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly described. rlhe clamping members are preferably formed of steel whereby to have certain resilient properties and the base portion 6 is preferably of less thickness than the vertical portion 5, and clamping member 7. Also the clamping member 7 is provided preferably at its inner face with a recess or cut-out part 71 whereby to provide for sufficient spring or yieldability of the member 7 in the seating of the same.

rlhe means for forcing the clamping member 7 into holding engagement with the rail sections is preferably of a character making unnecessary any drilling or otherwise altering the construction of the rail, and this means in the preferred embodiment of the invention is constructed substantially as follows 8 is a base extension or lug projecting downwardly from. the base part 4 at a point substantially midway of the ends of the base part 4 and adapted to be positioned in the space between the tie members C as illustrated more particularly in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing. The lug 8 has a straight outer surface 8n which constitutes in effect, a continuation of the vertical iange 5, where- :is the inner surface of the lug S, has a portion 8b tapering inwardly from a contact or abutment point 8 to the top, which said top edge of the inner surface is preferably curved as indicated at 8d. Said inner surface of the lug 8 is also curved at the lower edge as indicated at Se.

Securing means for the lugs 8 preferably take the'form of bolts 9, two being ordinarily sufficient to answer the requirements, and the same extending in opposite directions, that is to say the headed end 9a of one bolt will be disposed to contact the outer surface of one lug whereas the headed end L of the cooperating bolt will be disposed to contact the outer surface of the coperating lug. The bolts have a flattened portion 9b, and the lugs are provided with suitable apertures extending therethrough adapted to conform with the shape of the bolts, whereby the flattened portion of the bolts which fits in aV recessed part corresponding `therewith, will prevent turning -movement of the bolts in said apertures. lt will be understood that the receiving apertures in the lugs S for the bolts 9 are of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the bolts 9 whereby to allow suiiicient play for the movement of the clamping members in the seating of the latter. Suitable nuts l0 are adapted to engage the threaded ends of the bolts 9 and interposed between the nuts l0 and the outer surface of the lugs 8, is a suitable lock washer 11 of any desired type.

The operation of the device may be reviewed as followsz-It being assumed that the cooperating members of the joints are applied as indicated more particularly in Fig. +L to rail sect-ions to be united. lt will be observed that so soon as the nuts are rotated the abutting portions 8C of the lugs 8 will be brought into contact, and thereafter the points Se constitute bearings or fulcrums for the cooperating members, the portions 5, 6 and 7 of which members in the further movement of the nuts will be forced inwardly into tight clamping position as illustrated more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The yieldable character of the metal employed, together with the particular construction of the member 9 permits of sufficient spring to obtain the clamoing action just referred to.

By reason of the fact that the coperating members of the joint or brace are substantially duplicates of one another, it will be appreciated that they are reversible and readily applicable to either side of the rail, and it will also be appreciated that because of the opposed disposition of the bolts, the binding action of the bolts on the coperating members on the joint is equalized. It is also to be observed that as distinguished from many joints now in use, there is no tendency for the clamping members 7 to become loosened from clamping position, but on the contrary the weight of the cars in traveling over the rail will tend to increase the clamping characteristics of the members 7 due to the resistance of the bolts and coperating abutment heels 8. The various parts are so proportioned that the parts (3 and 7 must not come in contact with the rail until the bolts are sufficiently tightened to bring said parts snugly against the rail on bothl sides. When the clamping members are sprung or forced home in the manner described they will be found to grip the web part of the rail as well as the base thereof.

While the device is an exceedingly simple one, readily applicable, at the same time, the same will be found to be exceedingly rigid and durable in use and a great time saver in emergency repairs, owing to the fact that the securing bolts 9 are positioned below the rail, and it is not necessary to drill or otherwise alter the construction of the rail in the application.

Suitable anchoring means for the clamoing members preferably take the form of spikes l2 of any desirable construction adapted to engage in recessed lugs 13 projecting outwardly from the base members -LL as illustrated more particularly in Figs. l and 2. Said spikes serve to anchor the clamping members to the tie members C as is obvious.

IVhat I claim is:-

l. In a device of the character described, the combination of coperating clamping members having relatively thin portions to engage in the space between the tread and base of a rail and having a base part to underlie the base of the rail, said base part lia-ving downwardly projecting relatively thick lugs adapted to contact with one another adjacent the bottom thereof, and separated from one another above said contacting point, securing bolts connecting said lugs, and that portion of the clamping members to engage in the space between the tread and base of the rail being of yieldable metal and free from connection whereby the same is forced into binding position by the securing of the bolts.

2, In a device of the character described, the combination of opposing clamping members to engage opposite sides of a rail between the tread and base thereof and having a cut-out part in the rail engaging surfaces thereof, said clamping members being of yieldable metal, and means connecting the clamping members at vpoints below the rail to spring said clamping members into binding contact with the rail.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of opposing clamping members to engage opposite sides of a rail between the tread and base thereof, said clamping members being of yieldable metal, means connecting the clamping members at points below the rail to spring said clamping members into binding co-ntact with the sides, head and base of the rail, said means including headed bolts extending inopposite directions through the clamping members, and nuts engaging threaded ends of said bolts, and said clamping members being unconnected at points above the base of the rail.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of coperating clamping members adapted to engage in the space between the head and base of a rail and at any point throughout the length o-f the rail, said clamping members having a recessed part opposite the web of the rail and also having parts underlying the base of the rail, and means positioned entirely below the web of the rail for engaging said underlying parts to force the clamping members in holding engagement withV the rail.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of opposed clamping members of a height to substantially fill the space between the head and base of a rail, said members being of yieldable metal and having a cut-out weakened part disposed opposite the web of the rail and parts to underlie the base of the rail, said underlying parts of the clamping member having downwardly projecting lugs of substantially the width of the rail adapted to contact for a substantial distance upwardly from the base thereof and tapering inwardly from said contacting parts, and means engaging said underlying parts to force the clamping members into binding contact with the rail.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of opposed clamping members comprising vertically extending portions of a height to substantially ll the space between the head and base of rail sections, and portions to extend over the top of the base of the rail and under the base of the rail, the underlying portions of the respective clamping members being separated from one another, and downwardly projecting lugs, said lugs having an extended bearing surface from a point adjacent the base thereof -upwardly whereby the bearing surfaces of the clamping members constitute 'a fulcrum, and said lugs when in contact being of a width projecting outwardly beyond the edges of the base of the rail, and connecting bolts projecting between said lugs at a point adjacent the base of the rails and above said bearing portions, andv adapted to force the vertically projecting portions of the clamping members into wedging contact with the sides, top and base of the rail.

7 In a device of the character described, the combination of opposed clamping members, each of said members comprising a relatively thin portion to` engage in the space between the top and base of the rail and having an intermediate cut-out part 0pposite the web of the rail4 intermediate the top and bottom thereof, said relatively7 thin portions connecting with thickened portions engaging o-ver thetop of the base of the rail and under said base of the rail, and lugs projecting downwardly from the underlying portions of the clamping members, said lugs having a vertically extended. bearing surface at the inner edge thereof, the lugs being spaced from one another above saidbearing surfaces, and means for forcing the clamping members in wedging contact with the top, web and base of the rail, said means comprising connecting bolts through said lugs at-a point adjacent the base of the rail.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of opposed clamping mem.- bers to engage in the space between the top projecting points of connection of the web with theV head and base off the railV andv an intermediate portion of reduced thickness, and' means beneath the rail for connecting the clamping members andY maintaining the same in wedging engagement with the rail.

9. Ina device of the character described, the combination of opposed clamping members to engage opposite sides of a rail between the head1 and base thereof, said clamping members having vertically extending parts projecting over the edges of the base of the rail', and horizontally extending parts projecting beneath the rail and downwardly projecting lugs substantially midway ofthe ends of the clamping members, said lugs having a straight outer surface constituting in effect a continuation of the vertical flanges, and the inner surfaces of the lugs having a portion tapering inwardly fromr an extended. fulcrum or bearing point adjacent the basel thereof, said inner surfaces of said lugs being curved at the base thereof, and bolts connecting said lugs, the clamping members being otherwisey free from connection.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. MITCHELL.

Witnesses z IV. B. MoRRow, FRED. STARKEY.

copie! of thi: patentmay be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner otrltentx. Washington. 0." 

